Paris Olympic Silver Medalist Kim Yeji Appears on Broadcast
"I Just Know Elon Musk as a Rich Uncle"
"Even If My Name Is Forgotten, I Hope Shooting Remains Remembered"
Kim Yeji, the silver medalist in the women's 10m air pistol shooting event at the Paris Olympics, commented on being mentioned by Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, during the Olympic period, saying, "It was just so-so," and expressing gratitude for the attention it brought. On the 4th, Kim Yeji appeared on the tvN variety show 'You Quiz on the Block,' where host Yoo Jae-suk brought up Musk's praise for her.
When co-host Jo Se-ho asked, "How did you feel when you saw Elon Musk's comment?" Kim Yeji replied, "It was just so-so." Yoo Jae-suk then asked, "Did you know who he was? What kind of image did you have of him?" to which she answered, "Just a rich uncle," but added, "I am truly grateful for the attention it brought." Kim Yeji also revealed on MBC's variety show 'Radio Star' that foreign athletes around her asked to take pictures with her, and she wondered, "Why would shooting athletes want to take pictures together?" Later, she found out that Elon Musk had given her a shout-out, a term she admitted she didn't even know before.
On July 28, Kim Yeji won the silver medal in the 10m air pistol final at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Her shooting performance attracted significant attention, which also led to increased interest in a video of the 25m pistol event from the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) World Cup held in May. The video quickly spread on X (formerly Twitter). Elon Musk, the owner of X, posted a comment on the video saying, "She should be cast in an action movie. No acting needed," which sparked further buzz.
Having instantly become an Olympic star, it was recently reported that Kim Yeji signed with an agent. Regarding changes after the Olympics, she said, "Nothing much. I just occasionally do talk shows or photo shoots as part of my schedule, but nothing really changes," adding, "I will continue shooting, and signing with an agent was to help promote shooting more."
Fashion magazine W Korea has released a Louis Vuitton photo shoot featuring shooting athlete Kim Yeji. [Image source=W Korea]
Currently, Kim Yeji is reportedly negotiating numerous broadcast appearances and about 20 advertising offers from food, gaming, and startup companies. She also shot a luxury brand Louis Vuitton photo spread for the fashion magazine W Korea. About these activities, she said, "My name will soon be forgotten, but if I do other activities, the label of shooting will continue to follow me, so I think people will keep remembering shooting," and added, "I hope younger athletes can train in better environments."
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